Shorten 'not convinced' on union demand to extend industry bargaining

Labor leader Bill Shorten says he is "not convinced" on the union movement's demand that he extend industry-wide bargaining rights beyond low-paid industries, as the ACTU unveils a massive ad blitz calling for a dramatic rewriting of workplace laws.

"We know that the bargaining system's not working as it should," Mr Shorten said when The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age asked for more detail on the policy on Friday.

Bill Shorten has not ruled out extending industry bargaining rights across the economy. Credit:AAP

"But I'm not convinced that we need to have, you know, everyone going into industry bargaining."

However, he declined to rule the measure out, fuelling uncertainty among business owners about how far a Labor government would go in delivering the workplace law changes unions are fighting for.

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Mr Shorten's comments comes as the Australian Council of Trade Unions launches its biggest-ever advertising campaign, in which it attacks the Morrison government and asks voters to install the former Australian Workers Union secretary as prime minister to "change the rules" governing Australia's workplaces.

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The union peak body - which spent $10 million on ads during the 2007 election - is pushing for a radical overhaul of Australia's industrial relations system, including a right for all workers to be allowed to strike across their respective industries.

Currently, workers can only take legal strike action if they are negotiating a new pay deal with their employer through the enterprise bargaining process.

The multimillion-dollar ACTU television ad campaign features workers who share their experiences with insecure work and cost of living pressures, some of whom are actors juggling multiple jobs.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus said the campaign would push the message that "we have a choice about the future for working people in Australia".

"We can continue down the low-pay, insecure American path, or we can change the government and change the rules to win a fair go for working people," she said.

"We have an opportunity this election to change the government, change the rules and win fair pay, more secure jobs and better lives."

Mr Shorten has promised to legislate industry bargaining rights if elected, but has not revealed whether the changes would apply to workers outside of low-paid industries such as cleaning, childcare and disability care.

Labor's industrial relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor has repeatedly said unions should be allowed to pursue pay claims against multiple employers where enterprise bargaining had failed to secure appropriate pay or conditions.

Employers, who fear businesses could be hit with rolling strikes if the measure is applied across the economy, said they would continue lobbying Mr Shorten - long with key crossbench senators - on Labor's industrial relations reforms ahead of the May 18 election.

Innes Willox, chief executive of employer peak body Ai Group, said any law changes Mr Shorten planned to pursue if he became prime minister must first be scrutinised by stakeholders.

"Consultation needs to take place over a reasonable timeframe and there needs to be preparedness to modify proposals to address clearly identified problems," Mr Willox said.

Mr Shorten said Labor's policy was "very straightforward" and that a government he led would reverse penalty rate cuts and deliver pay equity for women.

"We want to shut down sham contracting. We want to make sure that enterprise bargaining is fairer. And we want to have a living wage, and reform labour hire," he said, adding that Labor would have "more to say" on industrial relations.